Appliance Safety – Use your Senses

Generally, common sense is the order of the day around appliances, and the best way to stay safe is by using your own senses.

Look out for frayed cables, corroded connection pipes, smoke and particularly sparks. If you can see soot deposits around an appliance or a yellow/orange flame rather than the normal blue flame, it can be a warning. Another sign an appliance isn’t working correctly is excessive condensation in the room.

Listen for unusual noises, like grinding, whirring, hissing; anything that isn’t usually present.

Feel for drips or abnormal dampness, and be aware of loose dials– they can only get worse if left undiagnosed.

Odd smells can be a sign of trouble. If you smell gas, open all the doors and windows. It could be that a pilot light has gone out or an appliance has been left on. If the light is on and the appliances are all turned off, there may be a gas leak, so turn off the gas at the gas supply meter and ring the emergency number for the National Grid: 0800 111 999.

For a smell of faulty wiring – a fishy kind of smell – turn off electrical appliances at the socket and call an engineer

Of course, you should try to clean all appliances and filters regularly, maintain service schedules, ensure you use qualified, skilled engineers and always read the manual for product-specific advice.

If you have any concerns about your appliances, our engineers are always ready to help. We’re just at the end of the phone – 0800 737 247. Alternatively, you can chat with us online at www.0800repair.com